Suggestions:
1) as before, raise the effect (AC granting effect) of the low level armor, and give them a damage prevention cap.
2) new idea, actually lower the penalty so that they are useful. I think the steep upgrade curve it has due to lower base AC would stop it affecting the higher level teams.

I think the lower level item need to be more "comparable" to the high end item. I think it just need to be a little bit weaker with a steep curve, so the difference between a BoNE and Tulwar is not noticeable until you start upgrading?

The cream of the armor and weapon selections invariably rise to the top. Armor-wise, people strictly use leathers or high-end gear; Anything from Chain Mail to Fluted Steel Cuirass is useless, which is over half of all body armors. Same goes for boots- there are leathers and high-end gear. And gloves. And cloaks. And helms and shields.

Weapons are a bit different, since new players seem to grab whatever "looks" good. However, veterans will again say that Katanas are the best low-level weapon (with Elven Stilettos having some fans as well), and the rest is all Big Five.

I suggest either making the "crap" items useful (somehow, I don't really care), or better yet, giving them each unique effects (again, what, I don't know). We have the new Elven Stiletto showing us how low weapons SHOULD look like, why not do the same for all the stuff nobody uses?

The problem is certainly much greater than just Double Chain Mails and Heaumes.

<Jonathan> FB/CoC is kind of a lesser version of the "double cm trap" :)
<[GR8]The_Chemist> A Great Axe [56x7] (+3), A Bastard Sword [40x8] (+0), A Glaive [42x6] (+2) for sale
<sutekh137> what is the double cm trap?
<bartjan> Double Chain Mail ??
<imnota{beGGer}Miandrital> but mushu your mage sits around for two rounds taking damage doesnt he?
<Jonathan> double cm looks like a great deal if you haven't read the faqs on how much the dx penalty is :)
<sutekh137> or at least not doing much!
<sutekh137> oh, lol...sorry, i missed the abbreviation...
<imnota{beGGer}Miandrital> jon how does that apply to fb and coc?
<Jonathan> because FB is almost always a better spell than CoC
<[Potty-Mouth]Mushu> he makes people think the stronger spell is better